An ancient 10th-century Indian statue, recently discovered in the garden of a private residence in England, was restored in India on the occasion of Makar Sankranti on Friday.
Indian High Commissioner to the UK, Gayatri Issar Kumar took formal charge of the sculpture at the High Commission of India (HCI) in London from Chris Marinello of Art Recovery International, the organization that helped bring the statue back.
“The recovery of stone art has to move fast. If you don’t move fast, you will lose opportunity,” said Chris Mourinello. He lauded HCI for “cutting out all red tape” and moving swiftly.
The beautifully carved sandstone idol, which is part of a goat-headed elf statue installed from Lokhri temple in Uttar Pradesh’s Banda district, will now be sent to the Archaeological Survey of India in New Delhi.
“It is very auspicious to receive this yogini on Makar Sankranti,” said Gayatri Issar Kumar at a handover ceremony at India House in London.
Privilege to recover 10th century priceless Vrishna for the return of Yogini – missing from the 1980s at Lokhri Temple, Uttar Pradesh, India. Discovered in London on 21 October, safe in @HCI_London, We thank all our collaborators. @DrSJaishankar @harshvshringla @MEAIndia @PMOIndia pic.twitter.com/owyDbH1mKR
— India in the UK (@HCI_London) 14 January 2022
“The repatriation process was completed in record time after the High Commission was made aware of its existence in October 2021. It will now be sent to the ASI and we believe they will hand it over to the National Museum,” he said.
Kumar recalled a “happy coincidence” during his diplomatic stint in Paris that another ancient statue of Vrishna Yogini, a buffalo-headed elf, apparently stolen from the same temple in Lokhri, was recovered and returned to India. was sent.
In September 2013, it was installed at the National Museum in New Delhi, a possible destination for the goat-headed elf.
Yoginis are a group of powerful female deities associated with Tantric worship. They are worshiped as a group, often 64, and are believed to have infinite powers.
The goat-headed elf disappeared from Lokhri in the 1980s and briefly appeared in a London art market in 1988.
There are many such artifacts hidden around art markets in Britain and some are certainly in the possession of the government. Once there is such a Kohinoor diamond.
From time to time, attempts were made to bring Kohinoor back to India, but to no avail. Gayatri Issar Kumar said, “Thousands of Indians who come to London and see it, yearn for it to come back, but that’s another project.”
The Kohinoor sits in the Tower of London and one has to buy a ticket to see it. As far as this priceless Yogini is concerned – it is a privilege to be combined with 64 other Yogini idols in India.
Read | 8th century idol stolen from temple in UP’s Banda 40 years ago to go back home
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